Just out is an excellent article on disels by Miles McCallum in May
issue of Custom Planes. He cites the lower cost of avgas in the U.S.
as a factor in lagging development.
It could be that EAA and AOPA don't judge the elimination of avgas as
even politically feasible without a substitute. The aircraft industry
would go crazy, since recertification for lower than 100LL would start
a new 18-year statute of repose for tort liability. Out-of-production
aircraft, or those with out-of-production engines, would become
scrap. The extensive use of piston planes in the petroleum, ranching,
and package delivery (feeder) industries, indirectly by the airlines,
by states-cities-counties in emergency response, and agriculture, pose
a significant lobby. Even the environmentalists would be conflicted
due to piston A/C use for wildlife survey, public and private.
Documents on EPA's web site are dated (nothing new) and recognize the
cost/safety issues involved.
Bit of a shame, as per the article, the benefits are quite attractive.
Best,
Fred F.
Fergus Kyle wrote:
>
> Cheers,
> Enough periodicals have now mentionned the future loss of
> highoctane lowlead fuels worldwide. These are not available in many parts of
> the world now. These periodicals have also discussed the emergence of a
> number of diesel entries into the homebuilder's library of possibilities.
> I emailled EAA as a memeber and asked them who was guru of the
> aero-diesel world, and when the next article on diesels would appear.
> It was most dissappointing to get the reply that NO ONE
> specialised in aircraft diesels in their (our) organisation, and that if I
> learned anything, they would be pleased to hear of it!
> Now that's truly experimental!
> Ferg Europa A064
> PS: I note that KitPlanes' latest Engine Survey edition mentions only one
> diesel in passing - Soche!
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